ear shell

ear shell
n.
2. the shell of the abalone, shaped somewhat like the human ear

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      any of various marine snails of the subclass Prosobranchia (class Gastropoda) that constitute the genus Haliotis and family Haliotidae. The characteristic planispiral shell has a broad, oblique aperture, which gives it an earlike shape, and a series of perforations through the shell involved in directing water flow. The inside of the shell is always nacreous, often in iridescent greens and blues. The snails live attached to rocks by a large adherent foot. They feed on algae and are found in the shallow waters of rocky shores worldwide. The larger species are called ormer in England, abalone in the United States, paua in New Zealand, and awabi in Japan. Several of these larger species are found on the western coast of North America and include the red, green, black, and pink abalones (Haliotis rufescens, H. fulgens, H. cracherodi, and H. corrugata, respectively). Overexploitation has reduced stocks in many parts of the world; there are catch limits and even total protection in some areas. Several species are commercially cultivated in hatcheries, particularly on the west coast of the United States and along China's east coast. The shells of Haliotis have been extensively used for ornamental and decorative purposes from early times.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Ear-shell — n. (Zo[ o]l.) any of various large edible marine gastropod mollusks of the genus {Haliotis}, having a flattened ear shaped shell with a pearly interior; called also {sea ear}. See {Abalone}. Syn: abalone. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ear shell — n. 1. ABALONE 2. the shell of the abalone, shaped somewhat like the human ear …   English World dictionary

  • ear-shell — noun any of various large edible marine gastropods of the genus Haliotis having an ear shaped shell with pearly interior • Syn: ↑abalone • Hypernyms: ↑gastropod, ↑univalve • Hyponyms: ↑ormer, ↑sea ear, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • ear shell — noun Etymology: so called from the shape : abalone * * * ear shell, an abalone or other gastropod with an ear shaped shell. * * * n. another term for abalone …   Useful english dictionary

  • ear shell — noun the abalone or its shell …   Wiktionary

  • ear shell — noun Date: 1752 abalone …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • ear-shells — noun alternate spelling of ear shells (singular ear shell) …   Wiktionary

  • ear snail — noun or ear shell Etymology: so called from the shape : any gastropod mollusk of the family Ellobiidae …   Useful english dictionary

  • Shell — Shell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shelling}.] 1. To strip or break off the shell of; to take out of the shell, pod, etc.; as, to shell nuts or pease; to shell oysters. [1913 Webster] 2. To separate the kernels of (an ear of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shell — less, adj. shell like, adj. /shel/, n. 1. a hard outer covering of an animal, as the hard case of a mollusk, or either half of the case of a bivalve mollusk. 2. any of various objects resembling such a covering, as in shape or in being more or… …   Universalium

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